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Overview

Legendary director Martin Scorsese takes the helm for this tale of questionable loyalties and blurring identities set in the South Boston organized crime scene and inspired by the wildly popular 2002 Hong Kong crime film Infernal Affairs. As the police force attempts to reign in the increasingly powerful Irish mafia, authorities are faced with the prospect of sending in an undercover agent or seeing their already frail grip on the criminal underworld slip even further. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young cop looking to make a name for himself in the world of law enforcement. Collin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a street-smart criminal who has successfully infiltrated the police department with the sole intention of reporting their every move to ruthless syndicate head Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). When Costigan is assigned the task of working his way into Costello's tightly guarded inner circle, Sullivan is faced with the responsibility of rooting out the informer before things get out of hand. With the stakes constantly rising and time quickly running out for the undercover cop and his criminal counterpart, each man must work feverishly to reveal his counterpart before his identity is exposed by the other. Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Ray Winstone co-star, and writer William Monahan adapts a screenplay originally penned by Alan Mak and Felix Chong.

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Editorial Reviews

This Americanized remake of a highly acclaimed Chinese thriller, Infernal Affairs was welcomed as a return to form for director Martin Scorsese. The Departed takes place in Boston, where Irish Mafia kingpin Frank Costello (a superb Jack Nicholson) rules the local underworld with an iron hand while terrifying law-abiding citizens. Costello plants a carefully groomed “mole,” Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), in the local police department. Unbeknownst to either of them, the department has placed its own mole, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), in Costello’s gang. It’s only a matter of time before both moles are suspected and put in grave danger. Under Scorsese’s direction, the intriguing plot generates nearly unbearable suspense, which is periodically interrupted with staccato bursts of savage violence, flamboyantly staged for jarring effect. There’s additional tension in a subplot that finds Sullivan’s therapist girlfriend (Vera Farmiga) attracted to one of her ex-patients, the increasingly nervous Costigan. The principals all turn in sensational performances, as do the film’s key supporting players: Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg. Nobody has ever gotten into the heads of mobsters quite as well as Scorsese, and in this complex, multilayered story, he’s finally found the perfect vehicle for his incomparable talents.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse

The Departed has all the earmarks of a standard undercover cop film. William Monahan's flawless script manages to juggle half a dozen major characters and another half-dozen important minor ones. We get the backstory for each of these characters, and we understand what draws them together so that their interactions feel motivated by behavior and psychology rather than just plot mechanics. With remarkable clarity, Monahan depicts the chain of command for competing police units as well as for the crime ring they are investigating. Based on the finished film, it would be hard to imagine that any decent filmmaker wound not be able to make a good film out of this solid material. The gifted Martin Scorsese turns it into arguably the greatest undercover cop film ever made. Most of the great Scorsese movies are, at their core, genre films. GoodFellas and Mean Streets are both gangster films, the former structured almost exactly like the classic Warner Bros. crime films of the '30s like Scarface and The Public Enemy. Raging Bull is, plot point for plot point, a boxing melodrama from the '40s and '50s. Scorsese elevates these films above the realm of simple genre exercises by infusing them with a unique synthesis of influences, and with an unrivaled ability to mix formal compositions with naturalistic acting. Scorsese saves his "Directed By" credit for the end of the film, but from the opening shot onward there is never a doubt about the identity of the man behind the camera. A great director is sometimes referred to as an image-maker, and this film offers numerous examples of his visual skills. Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus masterfully play light and dark against each other, obscuring and revealing actors' faces in ways that express the shifting power struggles between them. Scorsese and longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker throw heaps of plot at the audience with such command and authority that he is never forced to let the story lag in order for the audience to catch up. Scenes are interwoven in such a way that they come alive for the viewer in unexpected and rewarding ways. There are also a handful of allusions to other great films like M and Psycho -- the best of these is an emotionally powerful shot that directly references The Third Man. The shot works perfectly even if a viewer has never seen the Carol Reed classic, but if they have, it infuses the scene with added poignancy. In Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino explained why undercover cop stories always make good movies: a good undercover cop has to be the most naturalistic actor in the room. The Departed offers two such characters to set this dynamic into motion; Matt Damon plays Colin Sullivan, a corrupt detective on crime boss Frank Costello's payroll, and Leonardo DiCaprio portrays William Costigan, a cop with the personal history to help him pass as a typical Southie tough guy. Damon's boy-next-door charm shines through during his early scenes with love interest Vera Farmiga, a police psychiatrist. They are both so at ease in front of the camera that they often make the audience feel as if they are eavesdropping. Damon achieves this same naturalism during his more forceful scenes, most memorably when playing against Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg's no-BS staff sergeant has only a few scenes, but they are memorable both for their quotable dialogue and Wahlberg's commanding performance. Martin Sheen plays wisdom and weariness in equal measure as Wahlberg's boss, subtly reminding everybody that although he never achieved the fame of Pacino, De Niro, or Hoffman, he is certainly among his generation's most compelling screen performers. Alec Baldwin does a hilarious riff on his Glengarry Glen Ross character, mixing it with the quirky, funny bosses he's played in films like Fun With Dick and Jane and Along Came Polly. Leonardo DiCaprio deserves much praise for his excellent work in the film. He broods, and goes for the big emotions when it is appropriate, but for the most part serves as the quiet center of this film. He delivers a monologue in the middle of the movie where he explains that no matter what tension surrounds him, no matter how fast his heart beats, his hands remains still. That remains true throughout the picture, but DiCaprio compensates for this control by letting his eyes do much of the work. During moments of openness, his bearing and his posture don't change, but his eyes convey just enough vulnerability for the audience to register his inner experiences, both with regard to the specific scene and to the double-life that is slowly eating him alive. If DiCaprio is the solid center of the film, and Damon is the most naturalistic, then Jack Nicholson gets to be the life of the party. As outrageous as Costello's behavior often is, and as remarkable as some of the pearls of wisdom that come from his mouth are, he never once makes this unhinged criminal too big to be real. Unlike the mad-dog performances in films such as Batman, The Shining, or The Witches of Eastwick, every element of The Departed helps keep Jack Nicholson frighteningly and realistically monstrous. From the rigid chain of command that exists in both the cop and the criminal worlds to the ways the various characters play out their power dynamics, the movie returns to the subject of authority time and again. Even the images and the music act as governances of power, demanding attention so deftly that the audience gives it over without question. There is an author responsible for all that authority. His name is Martin Scorsese, and The Departed stands alongside his other masterpieces -- GoodFellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, {|Mean Streets">M">{|Mean Streets -- as a testament to his prodigious talent.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

infernal affairs was a pretty good movie with an interesting and almost fresh kind of story and was very well played out on screen thanks to the two leading actors andy lau and tony leung. so when i saw the trailer to the departed i recognized a particular scene which was when leo's cast got torn off and when jack hit his already pained arm with his shoe and thought of infernal affairs. and i was a little nervous it being a remake or something but its partly a remake sort of but with a story all its own and just using references from infernal affairs. And i have to say this is one of the fewer good remakes to an original movie that i equally enjoyed. I'm not saying that because everyone saw it and it became an overrated thing, i watched it with an open mind and it was good and not because of what everyone thinks, and that's the problem with movies when they became overrated and you think everyone likes it and not really seen the movie. I have and i liked it. Basically you have two guys who are pretending to be someone their not on the opposites of the law. What i liked about this is that everyone and i mean the whole cast had a role and they portrayed their characters well especially leo dicaprio, matt damon, mark wahlberg and of course jack nicholson. And when it came to the ending if you seen infernal affairs then you probably know what's gonna happen but then you get a BIG surprise and i liked how the director sorta did something different and it payed off. So before you see this you should check out the equally good original infernal affairs then the departed to get an understanding on the story. I conclude saying the departed was one hell of a movie experience and i just wish more movies were like this that entertain you and not just try too hard to impress you.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

At first I didn't know what to expect just because it was an oscar winner didn't necessary mean it would be good or appeal to my tastes - well it was excellent and what an ending, this has it all the love interest, backstabbing, murder, lies, everybody playing everybody - I don't think there has been a crime film this good since HEAT, can't wait for the sequel.

Joyachiever

More than 1 year ago

I decided to take a chance on purchasing the departed movie dvd from my Walmart job around three to four weeks ago because it was only five dollars and featured the images of these actors known for their acting talent; Leonardo dicaprio, jack Nicholson, matt damon, and mark Wahlberg. Jack Nicholson plays a mobster character of frank costello who is shown quoting I don&rsquo;t want to be a product of my environment, I want my environment to be a product of me. Matt damon is shown being one the character of colin sullivan who has known the mobster characer since he was a child. This is because nicholson&rsquo;s mobster character is shown in a moment of having a heart through buying groceries for the chlld, the movie illustrates the uncomfortable but harsh reality on how poverty even within the united states can be a dangerous breeding ground for more crime if the children of those environments do not have enough positive role models in their life. Leonaordo dicaprio&rsquo;s character of billy costigan becomes a future coworker of both Collin Sullivan (matt damon) and sean digman (mark Wahlberg) within the boston police departments in order to get the mobster frank Costello (jack Nicholson) arrested. The movie trailers for the departed dvd are the painted veil starring Naomi waits and Edward Norton, the reaping starring Hilary swank, 300 starring Gerald butler, and blood diamond starring Leonardo dicaprio, Jennifer Connelly, and djimon hounson. The departed is also great for those who enjoy watching movies by Leonardo dicaprio, jack niecholson, matt damon, and mark Wahlberg because their character portrayals factor significantly in the film.

the headline already says it all 4 me. settle in and don't miss a second. watch out for jack nicholson you can never trust him all the way.

NigelOctavious

More than 1 year ago

This was an ASTONISHING movie with a fantastic plot, great script, directing like no other, and the best cast I've ever seen. The first time I watched this film, it was hard to get through the great story with the constant f words. Mark Wahlberg and Jack Nicholson dished it out in every single sentence at least once. Otherwise, this was completely worthy of the 2006 Best Picture Award. I would definitly watch it again if it didn't have all the cussing. I don't mind the swearing as long as it's in moderation, but this was completely overkill. I've never seen this much cussing in my life, and I've seen hundreds of movies. Watching this with my family, was awkward because we wanted to keep watching because of the amazing plot, but wanted to turn it off because of the language.
Overall, a fantastic movie anyone shouls watch

a-b-a-n-k-s-c-a-l-e-b

More than 1 year ago

the reasons that this is my favorite movie is, it has a amazing cast, the plot is extremly amazing, and it makes you not want to look away. if you love to watch gangster movies than this is definitly your movie

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More than 1 year ago

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TheGenius

More than 1 year ago

The Departed showcases why Leonardo DiCaprio is deserving of his elusive Academy Award. The character portrayal of an undercover cop on the run is perfectly enacted to make the viewer feel moved. The rest of the star studded cast also puts forth notable performances, notably Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg. The movie builds at a good pace, leading to a dramatic finish. A classic dramatic thriller you can enjoy more than once!

Guest

More than 1 year ago

I'm sorry, but I AM a fan of the director. It's just that this movie doesn't do anything for me. I kept wondering when it was gonna get good all the way into the first hour and a half, and then I just turned it off. The acting was great, top notch performances all around. That's about all the good I can say about it.

ClarkP

More than 1 year ago

This movie was highly entertaining. The acting was superb. Watch this movie, you won't be disappointed.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

What can one say? Put Scorcese, Nicholson, DeCaprio, Damon, and Wallburg together and you get GOLD--and well deserved, if I may say so!! By FAR the best movie of 2006 and while not quite "Taxi Driver," or "Raging Bull," very deserving for Scorcese's at-long-last Oscar!! Nicholson still has the punch and the younger cast members are maturing nicely into the De Niros of the future!! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!

Guest

More than 1 year ago

Gritty insider take on internal affairs, police officers, and the mob in one of the country's most elite state police agencies. Characters are well-rounded, and just when it seems everything is settled and figured out, there is still another twist or two.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

this movie is an exact replica of the 1995 chinese movie 'internal affairs'. How can a director take credit for a movie when the only changes he made are the actors and that it's english speaking.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

Even though this was a remake, it was skillfully done. The characters are introduced to the viewer in an emotional way so we can connect with them. I saw Infernal Affairs after I saw The Departed. It was a solid movie -- but The Departed related to me on an emotional level that far surpasses the original. Even though I'm not keen on remakes, you have to give credit if the remake actually works. It wouldn't have gotten so many nominations and acclaim if it wasn't good. If you can't be blown away by the acting in this movie (i.e. Leonardo DiCaprio), you do not deserve to watch this movie. It is definitely going down in my top 10 movie list of all time.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

The only film by Scorcese that I ever liked. Tense, suspenseful, engrossing. The last 20 minutes is over the top and illogical, but still riveting. Great performances, especially Wahlberg. Matt Damon is the usual weakest-link. How, how, how does he continue to get work? A sock-puppet would have been a better casting choice.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

im glad martin won a golden globe for this movie he needed that award he is one of the best directors in the business

Guest

More than 1 year ago

The South Boston that has been the study of so many is the great inspiration in this story and with great flair from the usual New Yorker Martin Scorcese. In what has to be his most complex, multilayered story by far, it is fascinating to note the character of Jack Nicholson, who plays the almost Whitey Bulger-like villain in this with quite zeal and enthusiasm it seems. It is shows injustice in the modern world unchecked and we do know that is a relevant issue for all ages, where the rules of good and evil are inverted in the huge cauldron known as America.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

I have no real reason to even think I can review The Departed since I REFUSED to watch an American remake of an amazing Hong Kong film Trilogy. I just put a rating since I couldn't comment otherwise. My single issue is why couldn't American studios just relase Infernal Affairs in theaters with the orignal actors (Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Shawn Yue, and Edison Chen) since there is already a dubbed version released on DVD in the US? But whatever. As for a huge Infernal Affairs fan here, I'd say sure, watch The Departed, since it's a remake of an incredible film series but I just ask that the original is given a chance and subtitles aren't the only reason it goes ignored and underappreciated because of it's American remake. The first one has been dubbed, so... check it out.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

that just says it all. this movie is freakin great

Guest

More than 1 year ago

The Oscar was well deserved for this brilliant crime drama.The 2 disk special edition is loaded with bonus features that you must see if you loved the film.Acting is top notch and the music (Score and soundtrack)are both fantastic as well.